For Jonny

Edgar Allen Poe – spin off of The Raven

This poem is dedicated to Jonny Dorey, who was a fellow exchange student at VCU. Jonny went missing on Tuesday 2nd March 2010 and tragically he was never found. The poem is from Jonny's point of view. In Poe’s ‘The Raven’ the Speaker addresses us in the first person.

Once upon a near spring morning, as the sun is barely dawning,

I steel away on my wheels and quick as night

I click my heels.

Home sweet home, I hear them calling,

Ghostly voices softly roaring.

A paper bag of liquor and me are surely soon to disappear,

As I cycle ever faster thoughts are pacing quicker quicker.

I distinctly do remember this; a hole set deep inside the Earth.

Wheels swerve in fear of falling and quickly jolt to a hault.

Beedy eyed infinite darkness stares back as I peer into the void.

"What does this mean?" I call into the abyss.

"Where are you?" It asks in reply.

Puzzled, I ignore the voice and start to peddle even harder

But able to think only of this passed remark

I see a hole set deeper still

Fearing what I most dread hearing from a distance called -

Where are you, Jonny boy?

At the sound of my name my eyes prick open and my spine begins to ache.